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墨書 Inktalez
The pyramid of Canberra the Great is undoubtedly one of the largest constructions in the realm of the many monarchs of Atlantis. Standing over a thousand meters high, I estimate that the pyramid beneath, excluding the earth covering it, must also be at least a kilometer tall. The area it occupies is beyond estimation. Such an engineering feat could only have been accomplished by Atlantis, a prehistoric super civilization, far surpassing even the Great Pyramid of Giza in ancient Egypt. Climbing it nearly left me and Bald Qiang exhausted, gasping for breath as we reached about two-thirds of its height.
"Alright, Qiang, let's stop here!"
I leaned on my Entrenching Shovel, panting heavily as I spoke to Bald Qiang. "If the structure of the pyramid built by Atlantis is similar to that of the ancient Egyptian pyramids, then the ventilation shaft should be located about two-thirds of the way up, right in the middle on the south side, at twelve o'clock. No doubt about it!"
"I'll trust your judgment; I'm not too familiar with these things from Foreigner."
Bald Qiang was also reaching his limit. Although we had rested for a while and our faces were flushed, we were merely at our last gasp—like a dying person's final flicker of light. It was all just an illusion; we were like paper tigers. Climbing this mountain had nearly worn us out. Bald Qiang had stripped off his shirt, and sweat poured down his pale belly like rain. Under the white dome of light supported by the Heart of Atlantis, he looked shiny and slick. He gazed at his belly with a wry smile, saying, "Being strong doesn't help much; I've already run out of water. Why can't this stinky sweat stop? It’s so wet; if I could collect it, I'd want to lick my belly."
After this comment, he shamelessly teased me, "Why don't you give it a try? I see all this sweat flowing; it's such a waste!"
"Get lost! I'm holding in a pee right now; do you want some?"
I shot him an annoyed glare and took out my compass to check the direction before heading directly south. "Enough chit-chat; let’s get to work. Once we enter Canberra's pyramid, we'll surely find that Sacred River and can drink our fill!"
Bald Qiang gulped audibly at the mention of water, his eyes lighting up with greed as he quickened his pace. I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly; Cao Cao's tactic of 'quenching thirst by looking at plums' really works well. Not just Bald Qiang—even I felt a bit excited.
As for the Yin River, it was indeed heavy with Eerie Energy but still drinkable. However, after drinking it, one would feel cold all over—similar to drinking water from Yellow Springs—resulting in shivers that ordinary people couldn't handle. But for us who dealt with Demons every night, what was there to fear from Eerie Energy?
Thinking about that Underground River made me even more eager, and I quickened my steps alongside Bald Qiang as we circled around the mountain until we found what seemed to be the location of the ventilation shaft. With a clang, I drove my Entrenching Shovel into the ground and marked off an area before telling Bald Qiang, "We need to dig a bit deeper; after all, it's a passage meant for just one person to pass through. We can't be sure about its exact position!"
"Got it!"
Bald Qiang nodded and began working with me.
The earth covering this pyramid was not thick—only about a meter—and the soil wasn’t particularly hard either. There were very few stones inside. With my Entrenching Shovel, I dug down about seventy or eighty centimeters deep until I hit the Tomb Wall of the pyramid below. Pushing against it caused the soil to tumble away effortlessly. Together with Bald Qiang, we cleared away all the dirt in no time until we revealed the Tomb Wall stained with dark soil!
I had long heard that pyramids were miraculous structures built from massive stones without any steel or concrete in between them; yet between these giant stones, there wasn't even enough space to fit a playing card. Now that we had actually unearthed such a pyramid, my curiosity piqued. I leaned closer to examine it and found that indeed, it was remarkably sealed—barely any gaps were visible. I marveled silently at how these stones used to build the pyramid were all made from bluestone; they were so finely cut that it truly felt miraculous. Most astonishingly, this miracle occurred in prehistoric times—no wonder it's hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World!
"Damn it, it feels like this place is filled with molten iron!"
Bald Qiang muttered to himself, "This damn pyramid is just a turtle shell. If we can't find that Ventilation Duct, trying to make a hole in this turtle shell is just a daydream!"
"Whether we can find it depends on your skills."
I shot a sideways glance at Bald Qiang and said, "Finding the right spot relies on our expertise. I’ve pinpointed the general location for you; my task is done. The rest of the digging will be up to you!"
I wasn't flattering Bald Qiang; I was speaking the truth!
In underground tomb raiding, there are four main schools: the Tomb Raiders and Move Mountains and Remove Ridges. Both are civilian thieves, skilled but lacking in specific techniques. However, the Tomb Raiders and Move Mountains and Remove Ridges are official thieves. My ancestor often mentioned the skills of the Tomb Raiders, and I understood their methods deeply!
When it comes to finding the right spot, who can surpass the Tomb Raiders? In our field, a single technique can overturn the Dragon Vein! As for entering tombs, that’s where the Tomb Raiders excel. The best among them can accurately locate the main burial chamber or Preparation Room from above ground, creating a direct path to valuable items. When it comes to digging holes, who can outplay the Tomb Raiders?
With my words hitting home, Bald Qiang chuckled and began rummaging through his backpack while sitting on the Tomb Wall of the pyramid. Before long, he pulled out a bronze object!
As soon as I saw it, my eyes lit up. I dropped my Entrenching Shovel and punched Bald Qiang lightly on the shoulder, laughing as I scolded him, "Look at you! With such a good tool, how could you not find that Ventilation Duct? Just knock around this pyramid; you’ll hear everything inside!"
The bronze object in Bald Qiang's hand was called a Tobacco Spoon. As its name suggests, it resembled an old Manchu-style pipe with a curved handle, measuring about two feet one inch long. However, this copper bowl was larger than an ordinary pipe's bowl and had a longer handle made of pure brass—an exclusive "artifact" of the Tomb Raiders.
What is this Tobacco Spoon used for?
Three words: listen closely!
Its effect is similar to that of a modern doctor's stethoscope; it amplifies sound! The Tomb Raider holds this tool by its handle and places the bowl against their ear. By gently tapping on the outside of an ancient tomb, they can clearly discern what lies within. If the echo from the bowl is dull, it means there’s nothing behind that Tomb Wall—just stone. If the echo is crisp, it indicates that there’s space behind the Tomb Wall, making it possible to dig!
However, the craftsmanship of these Tobacco Spoons has long been lost to time. To my surprise, Bald Qiang had such an artifact in his possession! Using it here was perfect; as he gently tapped on the outer wall, he could easily tell which parts of the Tomb Wall were thick or thin—it was all too clear!
"Hey, following the steps of the Intercepting Daoist isn't our first time; we have some experience now. I knew this would be dangerous before I came in, so I brought all my gear!"
Bald Qiang grinned widely, then leaned over the Tomb Wall we had cleared of dirt, busying himself with his Tobacco Spoon. He tapped here and there, finally stopping at a spot on the left side. He began to knock incessantly with the Tobacco Spoon, his expression growing increasingly serious. After a moment, he got up, brushed off the dirt from his belly, and said to me, "I found the spot! It's right here! The Tomb Wall is a foot thick; we can break through it, but using an Entrenching Shovel won't work. It's up to you now, brother!"
"Me?"
I was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Bald Qiang wanted me to use my Azure Dark Sword. He knew my Dark Malevolent Energy was unstoppable; splitting a piece of bluestone would be a piece of cake.
"I'll give it a try."
I replied and took a moment to recover my strength. I stood up and stretched my muscles. With a swift motion, I drew out the Azure Dark Sword. My Dark Malevolent Energy surged violently, and the sword's tip emitted a solidified Killing Intent that extended several feet!
With a shout, I swung the Azure Dark Sword with all my might toward the spot Bald Qiang indicated. The solidified Killing Intent struck the bluestone instantly, cutting deep into it. A loud clang echoed as my palm tingled and my grip hurt slightly, but my eyes sparkled with excitement as they focused solely on that piece of bluestone!
It worked!
Without hesitation, I pulled the Azure Dark Sword from the bluestone and raised it again for another powerful strike, just like opening a can. This time, I aimed for the cross mark left by my previous cut.
Kara!
This time, pieces of stone shattered from the bluestone, revealing a dark Ventilation Duct behind it!
"Indeed it's here!"
Bald Qiang laughed heartily, licking his lips as he urged me on from the side. "Keep going! Don't stop!"
I shot him a sideways glance, thinking how easy it was for him to talk when he wasn't the one doing the hard work. Those two strikes I had just delivered took every ounce of strength I had, and now I was gasping for breath. Did he really think I was some kind of superhero, brimming with energy?
Ignoring Bald Qiang, I took a moment to catch my breath before swinging my sword again. I hacked at the piece of blue stone four or five times until it finally shattered into pieces. Suddenly, a slanted passageway came into view, all made of marble, with steam rising from above. The passageway was dark and seemed to stretch endlessly, filled with a musty smell.
However, this passageway was uncomfortably narrow. My build could fit through with some room to spare, but Bald Qiang would definitely struggle!
When Bald Qiang saw the ventilation duct, his eyes twitched violently. He let out a long sigh and said nothing. Instead, he pulled a firecracker from his backpack and tossed it into the passageway. The firecracker rolled down the duct with a series of pops, and although we couldn't see the flame extinguish, the duct was long enough that it soon disappeared from our sight.
"This ventilation duct is just too insane! It's like it's deliberately designed to target me!" Bald Qiang complained.
He grimaced and took a deep breath before turning to me. "Forget it; we won't know anything unless we try. You go call them!"
I nodded and went to summon the others resting halfway up the hill. Big Mouth Lee, always quick with his tongue, immediately laughed at Bald Qiang when he saw the duct. "Hey Fat Brother, you think you can squeeze through that mouse hole?"
"How do you know if I haven't tried yet?" Bald Qiang shot back irritably.
He then glanced at me with some concern and said, "Listen, I'll go first. You follow behind. If I get stuck, you can help pull me out."
I thought about it for a moment; given the situation, Bald Qiang was indeed the best choice to lead the way. If he got stuck, those behind could still help him out. But if he followed behind and got trapped, there would be no way out for him. So I nodded in agreement.
Then Bald Qiang took on an expression of fearless determination as he hugged his backpack and lay down to crawl into the ventilation duct. He filled the entire space with his body, and it seemed quite slippery; as soon as he lay down, he slid right in and vanished from sight!
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